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Egyptian 25-year-old Tamer el-Strafy takes a cigarette break at ‘Nowhere Land Tattoo Studio,’ in Cairo, Egypt. In a country where tattoos are considered taboo for most of the population, organizers in Egypt have held a convention to challenge stereotypes and show-off the ink designs as an art form.

Tattoo artist Mary Gabriel sketches out a drawing for a client’s tattoo. In a country where tattoos are considered taboo for most of the population, organizers in Egypt have held a convention to challenge stereotypes and show-off the ink designs as an art form.

24-year-old Hind Tarek, right, supports her friend Dina as she gets tattooed at ‘Nowhere Land Tattoo Studio,’ in Cairo, Egypt. Many Muslims consider tattoos to be forbidden under Islamic law. Coptic Christians meanwhile, who make up about 10 percent of Egypt’s population, have long had an association with the art.

Sketches and notes are pinned on a board at ‘Nowhere Land Tattoo Studio,’ in Cairo, Egypt. In a country where tattoos are considered taboo for most of the population, organizers in Egypt have held a convention to challenge stereotypes and show-off the ink designs as an art form.

A man looks at accessories at the entrance of ‘Nowhere Land Tattoo Studio,’ in Cairo, Egypt. Enthusiasts met over the weekend in the city’s leafy upscale Zamalek neighborhood to check out the latest designs and watch the pros at work at the 2014 Cairo Tattoo Expo.

Italian-Venezuelan 27-year-old Orne Gil, owner of ‘Nowhere Land Tattoo Studio,’ tattoos 25-year-old Egyptian Tamer el-Strafy at the studio, in Cairo, Egypt. Enthusiasts met over the weekend in the city’s leafy upscale Zamalek neighborhood to check out the latest designs and watch the pros at work at the 2014 Cairo Tattoo Expo.

Girogia Polimeni, 27, an underwater photographer based in Sharm el Sheikh holds onto a pillow while she gets an owl holding a camera underwater tattooed on her ankle at Egypt’s First Tattoo Expo.

Tattoo artist Mary Gabriel, tattoos Egyptian Banker Dina Kamel, at ‘Nowhere Land Tattoo Studio,’ in Cairo, Egypt. In a country where tattoos are considered taboo for most of the population, organizers in Egypt have held a convention to challenge stereotypes and show-off the ink designs as an art form.

Tattoo artist Mary Gabriel, tattoos Egyptian Banker Dina Kamel, at ‘Nowhere Land Tattoo Studio,’ in Cairo, Egypt. In a country where tattoos are considered taboo for most of the population, organizers in Egypt have held a convention to challenge stereotypes and show-off the ink designs as an art form.

Noor Murad, 31, gets her arm tattooed at Egypt’s First Tattoo Convention. “I like the fact that they’re out there in the open.” She says

People hang out at Egypt’s First Tattoo Convention held in Zamalek. In a country where tattoos are considered taboo for most of the population, organizers in Egypt have held a convention to challenge stereotypes and show-off the ink designs as an art form.

Mona el Tahawy’s hangs out at Egypt’s First Tattoo Convention. The 27 year-old Egyptian writer got her tattoos after allegedly being assaulted by riot police during the revolution.

I had the privilege of spending around three weeks in Cairo last December working on the editorial desk and helping to plan television output for the day. It was the first time I was bound to a desk-job and I absolutely loved it, but I made a promise to myself to spend my weekends wisely figuring out places and people to photograph.

During my time there, tattoo artists in Egypt decided to meet and host the first Egyptian tattoo convention. In a country where tattoos are still quite taboo, surprisingly the parlors are quite loosely regulated. Tatoo artists have been operating since before the revolution, but now took the opportunity to bring the art form out into the open.

Many Muslims consider tattoos to be forbidden under Islamic law. Coptic Christians meanwhile, who make up about 10 percent of Egypt’s population, have long had an association with the art.

Around 100 people turned out for the event, less than what the organizers had hoped for, although many saw it as a small step to raising awareness about the art form in a largely conservative society.

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